Of Pots and Plants
by CheleCooke
Summary: Neville Longbottom didn't think he'd return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but when Minerva McGonagall turns up on his grandmother's doorstep offering his NEWT results and the Herbology teaching position, he can't think of a good reason to turn it down.


**Of Pots and Plants**

Minerva McGonagall stood outside the tall, red brick house. She'd been here a few times before, but every time she couldn't help but admire the beauty of this part of the small town. The sunlit street was lined with large trees ripping in the light summer breeze. From behind the door, Minerva heard thick heeled steps descending the stairs and the door was pulled open smoothly.

"Minerva. What a pleasant surprise." Augusta Longbottom stood before her, a politely puzzled smile passing over her face.

"Augusta. Good afternoon," Minerva smiled as Augusta continued to look politely at her. "How have you been?"

"Perfectly well." She stood awkwardly for a moment before her eyes widened and she stepped back. "I'm sorry, Minerva, please come in." Minerva smiled graciously and stepped into the house, looking around curiously. To her, it was obvious Neville still lived with his grandmother. Exotic and magical plants were in every pot, dotted around the spacious hallway.

"I believe we're the only wizarding family in this area, so you can imagine we don't invite many people in," Augusta explained cheerfully.

"I understand. How is Neville?" Minerva turned to face the only slightly older woman.

"He is doing well. Still hasn't found a job yet, but he's had some intriguing offers. He was even invited to work in the Department of Mysteries for their plant collection," Augusta boasted. "Of course, Neville turned it down, claims the place still scares him."

"That isn't surprising," Minerva replied with a pursed smile. "Is Neville here? I was hoping to speak to him about his NEWTs."

Augusta looked puzzled for a moment, but did not voice her confusion. Instead, she nodded and began leading the way up the stairs and into an elegant sitting room. In the corner, Neville was leaning over a large table onto which he had set up a make-shift green house. A bluish haze was surrounding both Neville and the table, which Minerva recognized as an atmosphere charm. Taking a glance at Augusta, Minerva was thrilled to see a proud smile curved over the grandmother's features.

"Good afternoon, Neville," Minerva said, causing Neville to jump and almost knocked over the tiny plant he had been caring for so dutifully. He turned, his round face plastered in shock at seeing his old teacher.

"Professor McGonagall," he said slowly, stepping through the haze of the charm and shuddering considerably. "What are you… I mean, it's nice to see you."

"You too," Minerva replied as Augusta stood between them.

"I think I will make some tea, Minerva?"

"Yes, please. That would be lovely Augusta."

"Thanks Gran," Neville nodded, offering Minerva a chair.

Minerva took the seat with a gracious nod as Neville sat opposite her.

"Longbottom… I mean Neville. I came to talk to you about your NEWTs," Minerva started as Neville watched her eagerly.

"But I never took them."

"As did no one else last year," Minerva commented grimly. "After much discussion with the Ministry, we have decided that NEWT and OWL grades would be awarded on what your Professors had predicted you. Of course, that is discounting the atrocities in Defence and Muggle Studies. Those have been calculated on performance throughout school years."

"You mean…" Neville gazed curiously at her. "I have NEWT grades?"

"Very well deserved ones," Minerva smiled. "I haven't had a chance to tell you how proud all the teachers were of you during your final year." Neville flushed a deep pink and smiled nervously.

From inside her robes, Minerva withdrew an envelope and handed it over to Neville, who took it with trembling hands. He opened it carefully and withdrew the parchment as Augusta returned with a tray of tea things. She set it down on the coffee table and took a seat next to Minerva.

"What is that Neville?" she inquired.

"My NEWT results," he replied, looking down at the parchment with wide eyes. Augusta stared at her grandson before glancing at Minerva, who was smiling as she accepted her tea.

"Well?" she asked, picking up a tea spoon and adding sugar to her own tea. "How did you do?"

"Outstanding in Herbology…"

"Well, that was expected." Augusta visibly glowed as she nodded to Minerva.

"An Acceptable in Charms." Minerva hid a grin at the look of reserved envy from Augusta, who Minerva knew had failed her Charms OWL, let alone NEWT. "And… wait, this can't be right."

"What is it?" Augusta asked, rising a little from the sofa.

"I got an Outstanding in Defence." His eyes finally left the parchment and rested dubiously on Minerva. "I never got more than an E in any Defence class." Augusta looked at Minerva as if the Professor were about to take the parchment and change the grade, but Minerva smiled.

"Mr Longbottom, after everything you did during your final year at Hogwarts, do you really think we would award you anything less than the highest grade? An Owl will also arrive sometime this week to inform you that you have been awarded a Special Services to the School award, as have quite a few of your fellow students," Minerva explained.

Neville glanced to his grandmother, who was beaming between the two of them. With shaking fingers, Neville took a sip of tea and glanced happily down at the results again.

"This wasn't the only reason I made the trip," Minerva explained after a minute or so.

"Is everything alright, Minerva?" Augusta asked.

"Yes, perfectly fine." Her eyes never left Neville as they searched his face. "Professor Sprout has retired." Neville's eyes widened.

"Why?"

"She has her reasons," Minerva answered diplomatically. "I have decided on someone I would like to replace her though."

"Well, I hope they're as good as Professor Sprout was," Augusta answered briskly. "I've never seen my Neville as involved in anything as he is with his Herbology."

"Well, that is why I am here," Minerva nodded. "I was wondering if Neville would like the position."

"Me?"

"Yes Longbottom."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Neville stared back down at his NEWT results, his mouth open in shock. Augusta opened her mouth, as if to give encouragement, but Minerva shook her head subtly. Augusta leant back against the sofa cushions and watched her grandson.

"I don't know if I'd be any good," Neville replied, looking much more like the eleven year old who had had so many troubles getting to grips with his magic.

"Mr Longbottom, you are a fantastic Herbologist," Minerva assured him. "It was Professor Sprout who gave me the idea to ask you. She said she has not had a more natural student at Herbology than you in a long time." Neville's look of uncertainty slowly creased into pride and he nodded slowly.

"I would love to."

Neville Longbottom ascended the Hogwarts steps, his trunks floating neatly behind him. Pushing open the large oak front doors, he brought his trunks in with a flick of his wand and closed the door behind him before setting them down. His unease had been growing since he had stepped from the scarlet steam engine at Hogsmead Station, a knot in his stomach tightening as a skeletal black Thestral pulled his carriage up through the gates and to the front steps of the castle.

Setting the trunks down near the marble staircase, he walked slowly over to the memorial set at the side of the hall. The knot tightened threateningly, and as Neville stood before it, his eyes began welling with tears. Listed on a large shining brass plaque, were the names of the dead from the Battle Of Hogwarts, next to it, another plaque stating the names of all those that had fought. Between the two, Neville smiled wetly at a large marble statue inlaid with gold of a Phoenix spreading its wings.

_Like the Phoenix we will rise_  
_From the ashes of our grief_  
_We will be born again_  
_A new and bright day_  
_The flames have gone_  
_But you are not forgotten._

"I wasn't expecting you so soon, Professor." Neville spun around, a slight nervous shiver zapping down his spine at the word 'Professor'. Minerva McGonagall stood in the doorway to the Great Hall, watching him.

"I thought I should come and tend to the Greenhouses. I've brought a few new additions with me that I'd like settled before term starts," Neville replied.

"Well, you must be hungry, come join us. The house elves will tend to your luggage.

The third morning, Neville woke and almost forgot where he was, walking straight into the wardrobe that would usually have been the doorway to the bathroom at his grandmother's house. The term started that morning, having sat through the start of term feast the night before. There had been mutters and curious looks when Headmistress McGonagall introduced him as the new Herbology teacher, which Neville had expected. Firstly because he was only just over a year out of Hogwarts himself, and secondly, because he still bore the marks of his final year at Hogwarts, the deep scars on his face still visible.

He showered and dressed, picking up the special dragon skin gloves his grandmother had bought him as a well done present and made his way down to breakfast. There were a few fresh mutters as he walked cheerfully to the front of the Great Hall and took a seat next to Kaitlyn Heatherbrook, the new Defence teacher. She smiled jovially and passed the pot of coffee, the Daily Prophet open underneath her plate.

Pouring himself a large cup of coffee and helping himself to eggs, bacon, and toast, he spread the toast liberally with butter and settled into his breakfast, glancing up every so often and thinking how odd it was that only eight years before, he had been seated at the Gryffindor table about to start his first day at Hogwarts.

"Nervous?" Neville looked over at Professor Heatherbook and shrugged.

"I've got first years this period, so…"

"So they're students who don't know what you did?" she asked, her thin face peering curiously at him from behind her cup of coffee with wide eyes. Neville smiled nervously and nodded.

"Something like that."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Her brown eyes twinkled merrily at him.

"Are you trying to make me nervous?" he asked carefully. She raised an eyebrow and smiled crookedly.

"Maybe. Am I doing well?" Flushing pink, Neville looked back to his breakfast.

"Very."

"Oh good. I hate failing," she giggled and sipped her coffee as Neville blushed even darker pink. She replaced her cup and pulled out the prophet from under her plate, rolling it up and standing.

"Well, I have to prepare for my first class. See you at lunch, Professor." She made her way out from behind the teachers table with a swirl of robes and set off between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables. Neville watched her subtly as he pretended to cut up his bacon, his cheeks burning as she turned and winked cheerfully at him from the double doors.

His Slytherin and Ravenclaw first years came in boisterously, giggling and talking happily. He let them crowd themselves around the workbenches, chatting amongst themselves as he stood waiting. After a few minutes, he coughed politely, but when none of them noticed, he called out.

"Ok, quiet down, please!" They were silent instantly, unsure how strict the new professor would be, they looked up at him with eager eyes.

"Right, as you all heard yesterday, my name is Professor Longbottom, and I will be teaching you Herbology. This class will be mostly practical, your only written work will be homework." The students looked extremely happy about this, a few even turning to express delight to their neighbour, before he coughed again. A very tiny girl with dirty blonde curls blushed crimson and averted her eyes. Neville turned his back on the class and picked up a long tray of small pots, all with a different plant. He turned back and walked to the middle work bench, comprised entirely of Ravenclaw's, who stared at them excitedly.

"Can everyone gather around this bench so you have a good view." With much shuffling, and a great deal of giggling from some of the girls as they were pushed next to boys, they were finally grouped around the bench. Picking up the first plant, showing it to the entire class slowly.

"Does anyone know what this is?" he asked.

"It's a daffodil!" A boy laughed with an extremely haughty look.

"Half right." Neville replied, as the boy looked affronted. "This is a Honking Daffodil." And, extending his other hand, he tickled just behind the flower of the plant, a loud noise like a car horn sneezing filled the room, followed by many giggles.

Replacing the Honking Daffodil, Neville picked up a leafy bush with what looked like shrivelled grapes hanging from its small branches.

"OO," a dark haired girl piped up. "I know that one!"

"Go ahead," Neville replied kindly.

"It's an Abyssinian Shrivelfig," she answered.

"Well done. What's your name?"

"Jennifer Penatilla," she said nervously.

"Well, good job Jennifer. Ten points to Slytherin."

Jennifer swelled with pride as Neville replaced the Shrivelfig and reached for the next plant.

"Sir…" Neville looked up, his hand halfway towards the Alihotsy, to see a boy with dark eyes and deep red hair looking nervously at him.

"Yes…"

"Tyson Greengrass."

"Ok, go ahead Tyson."

"You fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, didn't you, Sir?"

For a moment, Neville's breath caught in his throat, his mouth open in a small 'o'. He stood up straight and pushed his gloved hands into his pockets. The class was silent except for the soft crooning of the Mimbulus Mimbletonia he had owned since his fifth year at Hogwarts in the corner of the Greenhouse.

"Yes. I did," he answered finally.

"I saw your name on the wall in the Entrance Hall, did you really cut off You-Know-Who's snake's head?" A few of the other students gasped as the others stared at him through wide, awe inspired eyes.

"Well, yes," Neville answered. "I did… but there was a reason…" He trailed off as he realised all his students were gazing at him like he was the coolest person on earth. With a shy smile, Neville reached for the next plant.

By the end of the day, Neville was shattered. He couldn't help but wonder how he would cope in the next few weeks, when after lessons he would still have to mark homework and wouldn't be able to go straight to bed. Deciding that he would make the most of it while he could, after dinner he returned to his chambers and changed, crawling into bed with a copy of Flesh Eating Trees of the World.

As he read, he couldn't help but think that it was nice to be back in the castle. Even with everything that had happened, Hogwarts felt like home. It was strange to think that so much had changed in such a short space of time. Where he'd spent most of his years as a student in Hogwarts being ridiculed and looked down on for his lack of magical skills, he was now looked at with awe and admiration. The first years, he could understand. Everything was exciting in your first few days, and rather daunting. But he'd even caught the fifth and sixth years giving him the same looks, like they couldn't believe their Herbology teacher had done the things he had.

Neville placed the book on his nightstand, and turned out the lights. Rolling onto his side, he wondered with a smile, how they would look at Harry Potter if he turned up to teach them Transfiguration.


End file.
